Bracknell Forest Local Directory

Child Sexual Abuse and Child Sexual Exploitation

Child Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse (also referred to as sexual assault) can be experienced by anyone. When a child experiences sexual assault, it is commonly referred to as child sexual abuse. Many adult survivors have found common factors in their experiences, including:

They were usually abused by someone they know

The abuse often started when they were very young

The abuse was generally not an isolated one-off incident and happened over many months or years

The abuse was often accompanied by threats and verbal, or emotional abuse, and sometimes physical violence

Parents Protect is a dedicated child sexual abuse prevention and awareness website to help caring adults protect children and young people. The site is a useful resource providing information, guidance and resources.

Getting informed and seeking help and advice are the first steps to preventing or addressing issues around child sexual abuse.

The NSPCC advises teaching your child the Underwear Rule to help protect them from abuse. The Underwear Rule is a simple way that parents can help keep children safe from sexual abuse – without using scary words or even mentioning sex. They have also added an Underwear Rule video to help protect deaf children from abuse.

Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)

Child Sexual Exploitation is another form of abuse that affects thousands of children and young people across the UK every year. It is an illegal activity by people who have power over young people and use it to sexually abuse them.

This can involve a broad range of exploitation, from seemingly ‘consensual’ relationships and informal exchanges of sex for attention, accommodation, gifts, cigarettes and drugs and alcohol, through to very serious organised crime.

As a parent or carer, it is often hard to tell the difference between difficult teenage behaviour and the signs of child sexual exploitation. The more information you have about the dangers and risks that children may face the better equipped you’ll be to keep them safe.

A number of resources are now available to parents/carers and the following may help you develop your understanding of CSE and the steps you can take to support children/young people and how to seek help when it’s necessary.

If you think that a child or young person may be at risk of child sexual exploitation, please contact Children’s Social Care or the Police straight away on 01344 352005 or 101 (if this is an immediate danger please call 999).

a booklet for parents whose children are being sexually exploited by an individual or group of adults outside of the family unit.

Further documents can be found under Child Sexual Exploitation on the Links and Publications page (from Bracknell Forest Local Safeguarding Children Board).

Safer Places Scheme

The scheme provides a number of local shops, businesses and amenities within Bracknell Forest that people can access for support if they are feeling anxious, intimidated, unsafe, disorientated, confused or vulnerable in the community.